Former MARAD Chief Counsel addresses illegal export of STORIS

Denise Rucker Krepp, former Chief Counsel for the US Maritime Administration, currently advocates on behalf of the U.S. domestic ship recycling industry. She delivered a statement at the Coast Guard Shipping Coordinating Committee Meeting today in preparation for the April 2014 Maritime Environment Protection Committee Meeting.

The statement specifically addresses the circumstances of STORIS, her sale, and the hurdles and huge fees that have been thrown up in my way as I try to get answers from the government related to this crime against history. The matter of the government withholding information from other parties is also discussed.

Some very interesting points were brought out and I encourage everyone to read the statement.

Two major points were brought to light: Scrapping STORIS in Mexico violates Section 3502 of the 2009 Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act which requires all U.S. government vessels to be scrapped at U.S. metal recycling facilities. The GSA sale of STORIS also violates 40 U.S.C. 548 which mandates that MARAD be responsible for disposing of vessels greater than 1500 gross tons. STORIS displaced over 1,700 tons. While Ms. Krepp states that STORIS should have been auctioned to domestic scrappers, the nonprofit museum groups would/should have been able to secure custody of the ship if the government had followed proper protocol for preservation of historic ships through the public benefit provisions in federal law.

http://www.maritimeprofessional.com/News/365434.aspx

(Originally posted March 12, 2014)